Namibia targets AI readiness and lithium boom to drive future growth

Namibia is shifting its development strategy from traditional mineral extraction toward a knowledge‑based economy and a lithium mining surge. The government has launched an Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Report in partnership with UNESCO, highlighting gaps in skills, research capacity, and digital infrastructure that must be addressed to compete in the AI era.

At the same time, the country’s lithium deposits – often called “white gold” – are attracting multinational investors as global demand for batteries and electric vehicles accelerates. Stakeholders see the lithium rush as a chance to replicate past mining successes and create lasting economic prosperity, provided the sector is managed sustainably and integrated with broader industrial policy.